Search

The effect of the anthracycline analogue, pirarubicin, on cardiac function was examined. One hundred and four patients with gynecologic malignancies were treated with 40-50 mg/body THP ADM every 3 to 4 weeks by iv bolus injection. Three out of 104 cases that had developed cardiac failure received more than 1,500 mg. One case receiving 1,340 mg developed cardiac failure and expired 3 years after completion of treatment for malignancy. From the above experience, it is concluded that the MTD of pirarubicin seems to be 1,500 mg/body or 1,100 mg/m2.

An early Phase II study with TUT-7 (menogaril), a new anthracycline antitumor antibiotic, was conducted in patients with various malignant tumors at 81 departments of 65 institutions nationwide. One course of TUT-7 treatment consisted of seven (7) or fourteen (14) consecutive days of administration at 75 or 100 mg/body/day with two-week drug withdrawal; at least two courses of treatment were given in principle. Among the 165 patients registered, 145 patients were eligible and 128 patients were evaluable for antitumor efficacy. In 11 patients with malignant lymphoma, one (1) had CR and five (5) had PR (54.5%); in three (3) patients with prostate cancer, one (1) had PR (33.3%); and in 12 patients with uterine cervical cancer, two (2) had PR (16.7%). Adverse drug reactions frequently observed were digestive organ disorders (anorexia and nausea/vomiting) and malaise. The abnormality in laboratory tests observed frequently was myelosuppression (leukopenia and neutropenia).

A phase I study with TUT-7, a new anthracycline antitumor antibiotic, was conducted in 35 malignant tumor patients at 11 institutions nationwide. The study was initiated with a single dose at 100 mg/body which was equivalent to 2n, then the dose as escalated up to 700 mg/body in accordance with the modified Fibonacci's scheme. The dose limiting factor (DLF) was considered to be leukopenia, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was 700 mg/ body. The consecutive days dosing study subsequently conducted started with 25 mg/body/day, and the dose level was escalated up to 150 mg /body/day. TUT-7 was orally administered for seven (7) to fourteen (14) consecutive days in principle. It was considered that DLF was leukopenia and MTD was 100 mg/body/day for consecutive days dosing. The study indicated that serum drug concentrations reached their plateaus on the 5th day after initiation of TUT-7 treatment and the accumulation of this compound was low. With these findings, a regimen with a dose of 100 mg/body/day orally administered for 14 consecutive days was recommended for early phase II studies.

A phase I study of NKT-01 (deoxyspergualin), which is a derivative of an antitumor antibiotic, spergualin, was performed by a cooperative study group. NKT-01 was given intravenously by 3-h infusion. The effect of single administration was studied prior to evaluation of daily administration for 5 consecutive days. In all, 5 and 33 patients with various malignancies, including leukemia, were entered into the trials of single and daily administration, respectively. In the single-administration study, all patients were evaluable and no clear adverse effect was observed at doses ranging from 20 to 320 mg/m2. In the daily-administration study, 28 evaluable patients (16 men and 12 women; median age, 55.5 years) were treated with a daily dose of 20-500 mg/m2. Toxicities such as myelosuppression, mild nausea/vomiting, anorexia, alopecia, tongue and perioral numbness, and hypotension were observed dose-dependently during or after the treatment. Grade 2 leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia were experienced at a dose of 500 mg/m2. These usually recovered to normal values by approximately 3 weeks after treatment. A pharmacokinetic analysis of single administration revealed rapid plasma clearance, with mean half-lives for the alpha and beta phases being 28 min and 6.9 h, respectively. Approximately 12% of the infused dose was excreted into the urine in unmetabolized form. The pharmacokinetic parameters obtained after 5-day administration were similar to those recorded after single administration. Concerning treatment response, a transient but significant reduction in the number of leukemic cells was observed in one patient with adult T-cell leukemia. In this study, perioral numbness, hypotension, and hematological toxicity were concluded to be dose-limiting, with the maximal acceptable dose being 500 mg/m2. The recommended dose for a phase II study of NKT-01 against solid tumors was judged to be 400 mg/m2 given daily by 3-h infusion for 5 days, every 3 weeks. In hematological malignancies, however, higher myelosuppressive schedules of administration should be investigated.

The pharmacokinetic properties of KRN 8602, an anthracycline compound, was studied by HPLC following intravenous administration of KRN 8602 to cancer patients. The results were as follows. (1) The plasma concentration-time curve declined as a triphasic function (alpha, beta, gamma) (t1/2 (alpha) = 0.02910, +/- 0.0054 hr, t1/2 (beta) = 0.704 +/- 0.319 hr, t1/2 (gamma) 8.37 +/- 1.37 hr). The blood cell concentration was higher than that in plasma. (2) The distribution volumes of the tissue compartment were larger than those of the central compartment. This result suggested that KRN 8602 would be easily transferred into the tissues. (3) The area under the curve (AUC) of KRN 8602 increased in proportion to the increase of dosage. (4) The metabolites of KRN 8602 were detected in plasma, blood cell and urine. (5) Urinary excretion of KRN 8602 and its metabolites were extremely low.

KRN 8602 is a new antineoplastic drug with the chemical structure, 3'-deamino-3'-morpholino-13-deoxo-10-hydroxycarminomycin hydrochloride. This drug was developed in an attempt to improve the clinical efficacy of currently used anthracyclines. In preclinical studies, KRN 8602 has been shown to produce less cardiotoxicity and alopecia, yet has comparable antitumor effects to adriamycin. In addition, KRN 8602 has shown antitumor effects on adriamycin-resistant tumors. A phase I clinical study was undertaken to determine the toxicity of KRN 8602 given as a single i.v. dose. Toxicity evaluation included CBC with differentials, platelet counts, SMA chemistry profile, EKG, urinalysis, plain chest X-ray and physical examination. Myelosuppression was the major side effect noted with leukopenia, and especially neutropenia, being dose-limiting. The degree of WBC suppression was dose-related and MTD appears to be 30 mg/m2. Nausea and vomiting were observed in cases who had received more than 10 mg/m2. No patient had alopecia. No obvious cardiotoxicity in this study. Maximum total cumulative dose of KRN 8602 was 450 mg/m2. Further observation is necessary to confirm this point. In this study of 10 cases, one breast carcinoma with bilateral lung metastasis revealed definite regression of metastasis for more than 18 months with this agent alone. This patient had previous chemo- and hormone therapy, containing adriamycin. The above preliminary phase I clinical study suggests strongly the usefulness of KRN 8602, and further investigations are indicated.

Aclacinomycin A (ACM) is a new anthracycline antibiotic, isolated from Streptomyces galilaeus. This agent is presenting major chemical differences from the conventional anthracycline DNR and ADM, as a class II anthracyclines which inhibit more RNA than DNA. In clinical studies, good CR responses ranging about 30% in AML patients depend upon their background. Toxicities consisted of mainly upper GI tract and bone marrow. Cardiac toxicities, especially late cumulative effects are not reported. Some responses noted in malignant lymphomas and breast carcinoma, but needed further studies, including possibility of cross resistance and differentiation effects.

THP-ADM is a new antitumor antibiotic which belongs to the anthracycline group. This agent was administered to 42 histology proven various malignant disease patients with a schedule of 60-80 mg per body (40-55 mg per m2) iv bolus, every three weeks. THP-ADM administration revealed mild upper GI toxicity (vomiting 19%, stomatitis 21%) and leukopenia (less than 2,000 per mm3) in 80% and thrombocytopenia (less than 60,000 per mm3) in 38% with good rebound. There was no signs or symptoms of cardiac failure including the patient who had received 740 mg per body (500 mg per m2). Definite response (CR, PR) was observed in ovarian carcinoma 4/11, cervix carcinoma 2/7, breast carcinoma 1/6, malignant lymphoma 5/5 and mesothelioma 1/2. Furthermore, some response (MR) was observed in lung metastasis from endometrial carcinoma 2/4, and stomach carcinoma 1/3. The above indicated usefulness of this agent and further study should be continued, especially a controlled study with adriamycin.

Macromomycin, a new antitumor antibiotic (NSC-170105) with significant antitumor activity in animal tumor systems, was administered to 18 patients in an exploratory study. The dose ranged from 1mg to 30 mg per body with a single dose was given. The toxic effects included delayed type leukopenia and thrombocytopenia with nadir of 4 weeks. Except mild upper GI disturbance, no pulmonary, cardiac, hepatic, renal or CNS toxicity was observed. No anaphylaxis was observed in this study. MTD of macromomycin considered to be 26 mg/m2 and optimal administration schedule will be 20 mg/m2 every 6 weeks. Antitumor activity was detected in one patient with ovarian carcinoma with MR in short period.